Out of sight, out of mind: ok, but if you have to do with "Gli occhi del cuore" (The eyes of the heart)? Well, in that case you just have to ask for clarifications to Elio (intercepted during a coffee break), in anticipation of the arrival of "Boris" on your TV screens (more informations here) and especially of a brand new piece of the sympathetic group.

Excluding the "Christmas" songs and "Dannato umorismo" (Damned humor) (signed by only Rocco Tanica), "Gli occhi del cuore" (The eyes of the heart) is the first new song by EelST for a long time now: a sort of event...

"(Elio) Exactly. We wrote this song for 'Boris', a tv series that will air on Fox Channels Italy. 'Gli occhi del cuore' (The eyes of the heart) is the title of an imaginary drama in whose realization is engaged a troupe of actors and technicians. 'Boris' tells their stories".

In short, a drama in the drama: a meta-fiction!

"Yeah, but the piece is real".

"Gli occhi del cuore", (The eyes of the heart) beyond to remember an old success of Amedeo Minghi, also has some assonance with "Gli occhiali dell'amore" (The glasses of love), an your strong piece...

"Well, 'Gli occhiali dell'amore' (The glasses of love) are those that you put on the 'occhi del cuore' (eyes of the heart)... However, I also have to say that the title has been invented by the authors of 'Boris', not by us.".

How would you place "Gli occhi del cuore" (The eyes of the heart) within the wide saga of EelST?

"It's a classic themed project, of those that lately we succeed very well like the christmas songs for Radio Deejay. You have to know that Elio e le Storie Tese, with a certain punctuality, have always been placed in some category: at our beginnings, in fact, we were a group predominantly 'live', then we changed into a band that knew its business in achieving some excellent 'studio' albums and finally there has been this season of the 'themed' songs.".

"Gli occhi del cuore" (The eyes of the heart) enjoys some beautiful vocal harmonies. Lately you have returned to focus on pieces of the genre (see also the choral ups and downs of "Presepio imminente" (Imminent Presepio))...

"Well, it seems to me that, in that field, we have said our opinion even in past. We commit always much when we have to write a chorus and we are pleased that you, like many others, are aware about it.".

Am I wrong or, apart the Gialappa's, you have never wrote "themed" for the television?

"It also seems to me... No, wait: once we had prepared the theme song for a Rai program dedicated to Carosello. However, the important thing for us is the variety, otherwise we get bored. Then the digital TV, as the same Fox, are the future of the telecommunications; so we can say that Elio e le Storie Tese have already carried out. As indeed it has always happened in our career".

Meanwhile it has spread this news that "Gli occhi del cuore" (The eyes of the heart) will also appear on your next album but with a different text, adapted for the occasion...

"It's not true! I mean: something like that, in past, it has been already happened to us for 'Lo stato A, lo stato B' (The state A, the state B) which then actually has become an opening theme for 'Mai dire gol' (Never say goal) with some other lyrics, but I don't think what we'll repeat the experience. Or, more simply, we don't know it yet. The new disc of EelST is still very mysterious and therefore I can't answer to you with precision".

Will you open the doors of your study to some special guest for the realization of this "mysterious" album?

"For the time we have opened to you that, casually, you're a mysterious interviewer... I repeat the point: around the new CD exists a rate of mystery so high that I think it will remain so even after the disc will be released in the stores. Answering your question, it's tradition of the Elii (Elio e Le Storie Tese) to surround by friends and colleagues in the occasion of new releases, and also this time we won't disappoint you. Also because someone, in fact, has already come to visit us.".

Are you talking about famous names or young talents?

"There will be a mix of famous names but also of known faces to the audience of EelST. I've already put you on the right way, no?".

It was also rumored about a new single before the beginning of your summer tour...

"I would like to be mysterious also on this point. But this wasn't an interview in which we had to talk exclusively about 'Gli occhi del cuore' (The eyes of the heart)?".

Forgive the insolence and the curiosity but here the rumors circulate... At the end of last summer, for example, it had been talk also of an extension of the tour of "Coèsi se vi pare" (Cohesive if it seems to you), your show with Claudio Bisio...

"This, in effect, you can ask it to me... With 'extension' do you mean some replicas or an evolution?".

The second you have said.

"Indeed the initial project provided that 'Coèsi se vi pare' (Cohesive if it seems to you) was only the first part of a project more complete and complex... We would be interested to continue the collaboration with Claudio and to him as well.
The biggest difficulty, rather, will be the one to find the time to write another 'Coèsi' (Cohesive) and to make conciliate our commitments with his ones. And if it will remain a 'unique', it will make a pair with 'Del meglio del nostro meglio volume 1' (Some best of our best volume 1), our first compilation that we have never followed up. Until now".

It was also said about the hypothesis of some autumn replicas, indoors. How nice it would be to see BEELST in theaters...

"Yes but at that time Claudio Bisio was busy with as many as two movies ("Natale a New York" (Christmas in New York) and "Manuale D'Amore 2" (Manual of Love 2), Ed) and therefore everything is faded".

I wanted to know if you were reading some particular book in this period: just to know what inspires you...

"I read to pieces. Lately I've taken by a volume of history dedicated to the Spartans and by the 'Trattato delle Barzellette' (Treaty of the Jokes) by Achille Campanile".

Will you go to Rome, on next July 14, for the mega concert-reunion of Genesis?

"Probably we will be playing just that night... However, these are the three Genesis (Collins, Rutherford and Banks, Ed) and then I can also miss them. If there were also Steve Hackett and Peter Gabriel, they would have to shoot me to prevent me from entering into the stadium".

Last question: do you think that is a good omen to come back with a new CD of the EelST in the same year in which Inter will win the title of Champion of Italy? I mean, in '89 it went well both to you with "Elio Samaga Hukapan Kariyana Turu" both to nerazzurri (Inter football players) of the records led by Trapattoni and Matthäus...

"I'll answer to you in the simplest way possible: Inter hasn't yet won the championship just as Elio e le Storie Tese haven't so far published anything...".